The Dark Knight Rises: The Batman 3 Dilemma
Is the Dark Knight too dark?
My son, like many, many 6-year-olds, loves superheroes. He loves the gadgets and the cars, but most of all, he loves the good-guy bad-guy story. But he won’t be seeing the next batman movie Batman 3: The Dark Knight Rises. That moody Batman with his shades of grey and complicated Joker isn’t particularly welcome in our house. And what ever happened to a superhero’s sense of humor?
Full disclosure: I’ve never seen either of the Dark Knight Batman movies, but I’ve seen clips from it on You Tube, and they always leave me wondering why superheroes had to get so complicated and grim.
Batman movies and cartoons may never have been for 6-year-olds, but they were once meant for 9 and 10-year-olds. I’m not sure I’d want my 10-year-old to see any of The Dark Knight movies. Come to think of it, there’s a lot in a lot of kids movies that seems a bit too old and much too rought.
It’s not like violence in kids’ movies is anything new. I’ve watched the classic versions of Cinderella and Snow White with my kids. Both have scenes where an animal or witch falls to its death. But you don’t see it. In a movie like The Tale of Despereaux or even the newer Scooby Doos, much less is left to the imagination. Is it better to leave violence unseen?
Still, this is a different problem than the problem of Batman or even Spiderman which mix up the good-guy/bad guy story lines and in which lots and lots of things blow up. Of course, those movies aren’t made for 8-to-10-year-olds. They’re made to appeal to 18-35-year olds and they appeal to them with both violence and nostalgia.
Even a 19-year-old can get nostalgic for the Michael Keaton Batman of his youth. Whether or not Keaton’s Batman was any better is up for debate. I’m sure parents in the mid 90s were just as worn out by endless pestering to see a movie about which they had misgivings. At least there’s always an action figure to buy.
Will you let your kids see the new Batman?
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I don’t think the new superhero movies are meant for little kids at all. It is for the people who grew up with them, the adult version of what they enjoyed as kids.
I did not even bother reading the rest of your article after I read you did not bother to see Batman Begins or the Dark Knight. What makes you think you can give a review on something you did not even bother to seem. Pathetic. Try seeing the movie before you decide to give a review (a negative one at that). Whatever company you work for has the head up their @$$ to let u work for them giving reviews on stuff you don’t even bother seeing.
I agree, try seeing the movie before you decide to give your opinion on it. Your like someone who does not vote but is the first to complain about who is elected into office.
Really? You did not see the movie but your gonna give an opinion on it?
Do any of these commentators have children?! As a parent you kinda have to make decisions about whether to take your children to a movie without your first having gone to the movie to check it out. She isn’t reviewing the movie, people! She is trying to decide whether to let her children see it.
For what it is worth: I saw The Dark Night – which I really enjoyed, but was terrified during much of it – before I had a baby. If the sequels are anything like the “original” they are not suitable for children at all.
The problem with Dark Knight is that (aside from the violence, mainly) there is no redemption in the movie. Superhero flicks are getting so er, dark now and it takes away the hero aspect.
Yeah, these movies are really, really not for children. But that seems obvious. What’s killing me lately is that the Pixar movies are no longer for children. Up and Toy Story 3? Not appropriate for small people, G rating be damned. Who is making kids movies these days that are not absolute garbage?
Ms. Robinson, to be fair I’d recommend that you watch Batman Begins and The Dark Knight to give a fair judgment. Doesn’t necessarily mean you should watch them with your children if you don’t want to, but you should take a look at them yourself sometime, in order to fairly critique these films. Saying that you’ve seen some 30 second clips in movies that are over two hours is a bit biased if you ask me. Batman has always been a very dark character (with exception of the 1960s TV show) and these films are extremely well done. The Dark Knight was widely considered to be a shoo-in for an Academy Award for Best Picture nomination, which ultimately led to the AMPAS expanding the category to 10 nominees instead of 5. Besides, no Batman is as dark, nihilistic or utterly bizarre as Batman Returns from 1992. But truly, you should give Batman Begins and The Dark Knight a viewing, and decide for yourself whether or not you think your children would be suited for them. If you don’t think they are, at least you gave them both a fair shot.
This might arguably be the dumbest blog I’ve ever read…which is no easy feat. There are plenty of outlets of Batman for kids…cartoons, dvds, comics, etc. The movies Nolan made were geared to a genre of Batman followers, an extremely successful grahic novel series was the basis. The problem is the writer of this blather had expectations that were never meant to be Nolan’s vision. The series made it clear from day 1 of making Batman Begins that this was going to take the character in a direction not yet seen. If you want the kid friendly Batman look elsewhere but spare us the bloviating on something you don’t get. As a former boss once told me…everybody is ignorant, just on different subjects.
Hmmm…I saw BB before kids, and thought “no way, no how, is this appropriate for children”. Of course, I was one of those who begged and pleaded to see Batman when it came out, and my parents said “no” too.
I’ve decided that the rating system is bupkiss. Just because its G rated doesn’t mean its “for kids”.
My kids pester me to see superhero movies that are way too dark/violent, too. I know, I know—these movies are grown-up because their original audience is grown up and wants a complex story, but kids still love animated Batman. My solution (listen up, movie people) would be this: Every time they make a grown up Blockbuster of Batman or Spiderman or any other superhero, they should release a simple 90-minute G or possibly PG animated movie featuring the same superhero. The stories don’t have to relate at all, just make an animated Batman movie and release it at the same time. All the fast-food toys and bedsheets and yadayada can tie in with the kid movie, mom and dad can take the kids to the animated version on Saturday afternoon and go see the grown-up version when they have a sitter.
It isn’t that the comic book hero has gotten darker, grimmer, and more complex….. they have always been like that in the comic books. Movies and cartoons toned down what was in the comic books and I think the newer movies hold truer to the complexity of the characters comic book readers have always known.
Jenifer has it right. Super heroes were always intended to be complex characters for adult readers. When adults didn’t buy the books, they were retooled for kids. But not today’s kids, who are so coddled they can’t watch original “Sesame Street”s by themselves – they were written for a different kind of child, one who knew the world was a dark, unfair place. They weren’t as dark as the movies now being made by and for adults, but they weren’t all cotton candy and unicorns pooping rainbows.
Batman has always been one of the darkest superheroes. His origin story – parents killed in front of him – his lack of actual superpowers, the corruption of Gotham – none of this was ever *really* for children. I remember watching the 90s cartoon version, and that was intensely dark, as well.
Obviously you shouldn’t let kids watch this stuff. But I don’t know anyone who thinks kids *should* be seeing these new Batman films, which are the truest to the character and therefore the most disturbing. Anyone who does even a cursory bit of research on Batman and comic heroes would *know* that, and make a blog post like this unnecessary.
Wait, why are Toy Story 3 and Up not appropriate for kids? Because they deal with themes of death and/or loss? I don’t know why parents choose to shelter their children from the inevitabilities of life when it’s the one sure thing we’ll all experience in our lifetime. I’m not saying bring them to a horror flick– but surely Up would not be considered too dark.
With the option of the full catalog of all the movies ever made at out fingertips thanks to direct tv, video/dvds, netflix and the like, why do we need to worry that what is being made now isn’t appropriate for kids.–We have options! There are so many choices that are already here! I have no problems offering my kids DVDs of movies and television that my husband and I grew up on and saving the new stuff for when they are old enough.
The reason I said Toy Story 3 and Up were inappropriate is because the themes are too adult and completely inpenetrable to small children. Preschoolers cannot relate to toys losing their owner because he’s going off to college. They cannot relate to learning to be a good father (despicable me), and they cannot relate to miscarriages and learning to live without your life long spouse (Up). None of this stuff speaks to small children. Toy Story 3 and Up alternated between scary and boring for my preschooler. Yes, we’ll all experience these abstract and difficult concepts someday. But preschoolers do not understand them. It is obvious from the themes that these are adult movies. Why can’t kids movies be made about concepts kids can understand and not involve Dora the Explorer simpering at me?
I don’t understand the mentality of parents who seem to believe the world should be set up so as to cater to families with children only the ages of their own. Where’s the “dilemna”? Just say no.
Those “adult” themes were the thing that made those movies bearable to sit throuhg, and, well, GOOD. I personally wish ALL kids movies were of a quality that both children and adults could enjoy. Those aimed solely at preschoolers make me want to gouge my own eyes out so I won’t pay good money to see them.
Great, you enjoyed them. Small kids don’t. My point was that it should be possible to make a kids movie that appeals to small children and doesn’t make parents want to “gouge their eyes out.” Those movies, though animated and rated G, were not appropriate for small children. So who is making quality movies for small children? Oh right, nobody.
Our entire family enjoyed UP & TS3, including our 5 year old. If those things don’t appeal to your preschooler(my first child couldn’t even sit through a movie until she was 7ish) stay home. I don’t think there’s much of a market for movies aimed SOLEY at 3-4 year olds. I can’t even imagine the misery of having to sit through that.
Huh. My 3 year old can sit through a 2 hour long musical, a symphony orchestra concert, even an opera. Your personal experience doesn’t seem to have much to do with mine. I actually can’t figure out why you’re having such a hard time wrapping your head around the notion that a kids movie shouldn’t have themes similar to Hamlet. I’m guessing it’s cause you didn’t go out until your first kid was 7.
Darn it, ann05, please don’t make me agree with Linda. Just because your kid didn’t *like* TS3 or Up doesn’t make them inappropriate for preschoolers. My daughter was three when we saw both of those (Up on DVD and TS3 in the theater) and she loved them, just like my older kids. Many three-year-olds, though they don’t totally understand death, understand being sad because you miss someone—a good deal of young kids have actually lost someone they love. When my sister was three, she would’ve related to Andy’s toys in TS3; her big brother was going off to college, and when she was four I was leaving home to get married. When my daughter asked about the miscarriage sequence in Up, it was pretty simple for her to understand the explanation that “They thought they would get to have a baby, but it didn’t happen and so they were really sad”. As far as Hamlet themes, I guess you’re talking about Lion King? Another great movie, a real classic. No, most kids can’t relate to taking charge of a community or blaming themselves for a loved one’s death…but they can relate to the very simple themes of forgiveness and courage.
my preschoolers love all the Pixar movies and will watch them as many times as I will let them. Just because your kids don’t like them doesn’t mean that other kids won’t like them. All kids are different and like different things.
LOL @ Jenny.
Ann, I wasn’t saying anything about your particular child being able to sit through anything. Kids do that at different ages. I said *I* wouldn’t want to sit through something aimed soley at preschoolers, so *I* appreciate family movies that have something for everyone. I’m sorry that *you* cannot wrap your head around the fact that *I* disagree with you. Good grief! If *you* don’t appreciate family movies with something for everyone, then *you* should go ahead and take your three year old to the symphony or whatever speaks to you. Oh, and taking a dig at my very active kid felt like a personal dig and makes *me* perceive *you* as a bit of a witch. With a B.
If a movie does not have a G rating it is not made for kids. If you don’t understand how Batman became so dark then you do not understand comic books. You do realize Batman is a comic book character not a cartoon character? There is a difference.
For the people cricizing the author…you do realize this is a blog about parenting, right? It’s not a movie site, so there’s nothing in here that could be remotely called a “review”, and the essence of this entry starts with her apparent perception it wouldn’t be appropraite for her kids and then provides her take on current movies that previously seemed more kid-friendly. So if you came here with an interest in movies, comic books, superhero characters, or Batman, why you couldn’t figure that out is…curious.
She also isn’t making a rule for all children everywhere; this isn’t Sarah Palin deciding decency for the entire country. It’s one parent’s perspective, and a parent who is actually behaving responsibly, evaluatiing content for her own children rather demaning everyone conform to her way of thinking. This of course coming from a single male without kids who thinks The Dark Knight is the Citizen Kane of comic book/superhero movies.